- Contribution to Noli Me Tangere: Maximo Viola was a close friend and patron of Rizal. When Rizal was in Europe working on the manuscript for Noli Me Tangere, Viola provided him with financial support and encouragement. Viola also helped Rizal secure a publisher for the novel and oversaw its printing and publication in Berlin in 1887.
- Sponsorship of Rizal's Travel to Europe: With Viola's financial assistance, Rizal was able to travel to Europe in 1882. This journey was crucial for Rizal's intellectual development and exposure to European liberalism and the writings of European thinkers which helped shape his nationalist ideas.
- Friendship with Rizal in Madrid: In Madrid, Viola and Rizal lived together for a time and often discussed politics, literature, and the plight of the Filipino people under Spanish colonial rule. Their friendship was a source of intellectual and emotional support for both individuals during their time in Europe.
- Collaboration with Marcelo H. Del Pilar: Viola also worked closely with Marcelo H. Del Pilar, another prominent Filipino propagandist and reformist. Together with Del Pilar and other Filipino expatriates in Europe, Viola helped establish the Propaganda Movement, a group that advocated for political reforms and sought to raise awareness of the injustices of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines.
Through his financial support, friendship, and involvement with the Propaganda Movement, Maximo Viola played a vital role in the lives and careers of Jose Rizal and other figures of the Philippine nationalist movement. His contributions facilitated the publication of Noli Me Tangere, enabled Rizal's intellectual growth, and furthered the cause of Filipino nationalism at a crucial time in Philippine history.